Samsung’s latest flagship, the stunning Galaxy S25 Ultra is here, with its expansive 6.9-inch display, powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, impressive cameras, and Galaxy AI. But it’s not the only high-powered and expensive phone on Samsung’s roster. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is no less impressive, thanks to its eye-catching foldable format, and despite feeling like it’s been a mainstay of our lives, it’s only just six months old.
If you’re considering purchasing either of these devices but feeling indecisive, how do you know which one is the better buy? We’ve done the hard work and compared the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 across the board, from design and display to performance and battery life, to help you decide.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: specs
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 | |
| Size | 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2mm (6.4 x 3.1 x 0.32 inches) | 68.1 x 153.5 x 12.1mm (folded)
132.6 x 153.5 x 5.6mm (unfolded) |
| Weight | 218 grams (7.7 ounces) | 239 grams |
| Screen size and resolution | 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X
3,120 x 1,440 pixels (QHD+) 1-120Hz HDR10+ 2,600 nits peak brightness Corning Gorilla Armor 2 |
Cover display:
6.3-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2,376 x 968 resolution with 22.1:9 aspect ratio at 410 ppi 120Hz refresh rate (1~120Hz) Main display: 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display 2,160 x 1,856 resolution with 20.9:18 aspect ratio at 374 ppi 120Hz refresh rate 2,600 nits max brightness |
| Operating system | One UI 7 based on Android 15 | One UI 6.1.1 based on Android 14 |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite for Galaxy (the U.S.) or Exynos 2500 based on the region | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB |
| Cameras | Quad rear cameras:
200MP primary, OIS 50MP ultrawide 50MP periscope telephoto, 5x optical zoom 10MP telephoto, 3x optical zoom 100x Space Zoom Front camera: 12MP, f/2.4, fixed focus |
Rear cameras:
50MP main with DPAF, OIS, f/1.8 10MP telephoto with DPAF, OIS, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom 12MP ultrawide with f/2.2, 123-degree FOV Selfie cameras: 10MP with f/2.2 (cover display) 4MP with f/1.8 (inner under-display camera) |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP48 |
| Battery and charging | 5,000mAh
45W wired charging 15W Wireless charging Reverse wireless charging |
4,400mAh
25W fast charging 15W wireless charging 4.5W reverse wireless charging |
| Colors | Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Whitesilver
Online Exclusives: Titanium Jetblack, Titanium Jadegreen, Titanium Pinkgold |
Silver Shadow, Pink, Navy
Online Exclusives: Crafted Black, Purity White |
| Price | Pre-order from $1,300 | From $1,900 |
| Review | Galaxy S25 Ultra | Galaxy Z Fold 6 |
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: design and display
These two devices are very different beasts when it comes to design. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is a standard slab that looks a lot like its predecessor, though it has more rounded edges and a slightly thinner profile. The Z Fold 6 is a foldable device that switches from smartphone to mini tablet when unfolded, making it ideal for productivity.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra weighs in at 218 grams, while the Z Fold 6 is a behemoth of a device, weighing a mighty 239 grams. That’s quite a weight difference, particularly if you stash your phone in a pocket or use it one-handed.
Onto those displays: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra packs a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ Edge Screen with 3120 x 1440 resolution. It’s an expansive display that’s the biggest screen on a Galaxy phone to date, excluding foldables. You also get a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate and 2,600 nits of peak brightness.
When opened, the Z Fold 6 packs a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display with 2160 x 1856 resolution, adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and 2,600 nits of peak brightness. The 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display HD+ cover screen boasts 2,376 x 968 resolution, adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, and the same peak brightness.
It’s also worth noting that the S25 Ultra comes with an included S Pen, while you’ll need to pick one up separately for the Z Fold 6.
Choosing a winner here is hard, and the decision will likely come down to whether you want a foldable phone or a regular smartphone. The Z Fold 6’s display is bigger, but only when it’s open — and that weight may be a consideration if you use your phone one-handed or regularly stash it in a pocket. The S25 is lighter, comes with the S Pen included, and has the edge when it comes to display resolution. Otherwise, the refresh rate, brightness, and other specs are similar across the board — though you’re getting two screens with the Z Fold 6.
Winner: Tie
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: performance
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra packs the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, with “for Galaxy” meaning the chip’s been slightly overclocked, compared to the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. According to Samsung, the Snapdragon 8 Elite has a 30% faster CPU than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, with a 40% faster NPU and 37% faster GPU — some significant gains. You also get 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage space, plus a new thermal interface material (TIM) and larger vapor chamber than the S24 Ultra, for improved cooling during intensive multitasking or gaming.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the same chip under the hood of the S24 Ultra. Though it can’t compete with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, its performance is still impressive. In our Galaxy S24 review, we noted no issues with the phone overheating, even during benchmarking stress tests and while gaming. The chip is more than capable of handling everyday tasks, from phone calls to browsing the web and using multiple apps simultaneously.
We’re giving this round to the S25 Ultra for its Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, though the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is no slouch in the performance department.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: cameras
The cameras on offer across both devices also help to set them apart. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra boasts a quad rear camera array, with a 200MP main camera with OIS, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, plus 100MP Space Zoom and a 12MP front-facing selfie camera.
The Z Fold 6’s triple camera array includes a 50MP main shooter, 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and 12MP ultrawide lens. You also get a 10MP cover screen selfie camera and 4MP under-display camera.
Though we haven’t yet spent much time with the S25 Ultra, its cameras seem impressive on paper. Samsung promises the 50MP ultrawide lens delivers four times more detail than the equivalent 12MP ultrawide sensor on the S24 Ultra, with night photos and nightography video sharper and more detailed. You get access to Galaxy AI’s editing tools, and the next-gen ProVisual engine promises “next-level camera quality.”
In our Z Fold 6 review, we concluded that the foldable’s cameras couldn’t compete with the S24 Ultra — but you can still take good photos with the phone. We noted that this is a great device to view and edit photos on, thanks to the expansive screen, but the ultrawide camera images are muddy and low-quality, particularly in poor lighting. Photos are also disappointing at zoom levels other than 3x, and the main camera often suffers lens flare — though this isn’t always a bad thing. Overall, the Z Fold 6’s cameras are great for keen Instagrammers but not so hot for budding mobile photographers.
This round belongs to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with its quad camera array, superior main shooter, and improved night photography.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: battery and charging
These two phones are worlds apart when it comes to battery life, with the Galaxy S25 Ultra packing a beefy 5,000mAH battery. In contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s 4,400mAh cell can’t compete — but that’s not unusable for foldable devices.
Though we haven’t spent much time with the Galaxy S25 Ultra yet, we’d expect similar battery life to the S24 Ultra, with slight gains from the more powerful processor. That device will easily see you through two full days of use, according to our review — possibly even a third day, with light use. Samsung also claims the S25 Ultra offers up to 31 hours of video playback time. You get 45W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging for your accessories. A full charge takes around 70 minutes.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6’s 4,400mAh battery is the same as the one in the Z Fold 5, and in our review, we weren’t impressed by the foldable’s battery life. This is a one-day device, and its efficiency seems to be at odds with other Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phones. In particular, our reviewer noted it doesn’t seem to be as efficient as it should be during power-intensive tasks. Playing 30 minutes of Asphalt Legends drained 11% of the phone’s battery, while a one-hour video call took 18%. On the plus side, the back of the Z Fold 6 doesn’t get hot while gaming.
Our review suggested the Z Fold 6 battery is good for around five hours of screen time, provided you’re not gaming, which may not be enough for power users. Charging speeds are disappointing too, with 25W charging taking around 80 minutes to fully recharge from empty, plus 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
Neither device comes with a charger in the box, so you’ll need to invest in a compatible adapter to hit those top charging speeds.
Samsung’s foldable phones still can’t compete with the battery life or charging speeds on offer from standard smartphones, so the Galaxy S25 Ultra takes the crown this round.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: software and updates
The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs One UI 7 based on Android 15 out of the box, while the Z Fold 6 runs One UI 6.1.1 based on Android 14. There are plenty of customization options with Samsung’s user interface, and you get Galaxy AI features and tools included with both devices. That’s not a reason to buy either phone, but there are some new AI features on the S25 Ultra such as Now Bar and Now Brief, which may come in handy for planning your day.
In our Galaxy Z Fold 6 review, we noted that multitasking on the Z Fold 6 is where this device excels. You can have three apps running simultaneously on the expansive open screen, with a fourth floating window, if needed. We didn’t note any app compatibility issues or reliability concerns with the Z Fold 6, either. However, some of One UI’s features feel superfluous and the phone is keen to send annoying notifications with hints or alerts on saving battery life or setting up apps you never use.
Both devices get seven years of Android software updates and security updates, by which time most users will be ready to upgrade to a new phone.
This round was too close to call. Both phones run One UI and are eligible for seven years of updates, and both get a slew of Galaxy AI features, even if the S25 Ultra does see a few new ones that you may or may not use.
Winner: Tie
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of onboard storage. It’s currently available to pre-order from Samsung.com, starting from $1,300 for the 256GB model. Currently, the 512GB model can be picked up for the same price, with the 1TB model on sale for $1,420.
The S25 Ultra is available in four standard colors: Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silverblue, and Titanium Whitesilver, as well as three online-exclusive colors only available from Samsung: Titanium Jetblack, Titanium Jadegreen, and Titanium Pinkgold. The phone goes on general sale on Friday, February 7, and will be available from Samsung.com and most other major online retailers.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 comes with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage. It’s currently available to purchase from Samsung, Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and other online retailers, starting from $1,439 for the 256GB model, rising to $2,260 for the 1TB variant.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: verdict
There’s a clear winner here: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Not only is it more affordable than the Z Fold 6 — you can pick up the 1TB variant for around the same price as the 256GB model of the foldable — but it also impresses with its huge display, powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, quad rear camera array, and two-day battery life, plus speedy 45W charging and included S Pen.
Despite crowning the S25 Ultra our winner, the Z Fold 6 is still one of if not the best foldables on the market and we’d be more than happy to own either of these devices. The Z Fold 6’s massive screen is great for editing photos, gaming, and multitasking, even if the battery life, slow charging, and lack of stylus let the device down somewhat. Yes, it’s expensive, but if a foldable phone is on your wishlist, this is the one to get.
Pre-order the Galaxy S25 Ultra:
Buy the Galaxy Z Fold 6:
